There's nothing very sexy about the large complex of buildings just off the high street in Ware, Hertfordshire. Green buzzers to open doors and a large "daily performance target" poster in the entrance hall give the appearance of a newly built school. The extreme security – locked doors, a photo ID to gain entry, and a decree to strip off all watches and jewellery before passing the threshold – is reminiscent of some kind of open prison. There are no whizzy bits of gadgetry, as the aeronautics giants dot about their sites, nor portraits of glamorous models showing off their wares, as you might see at a retailer's head office.